By Les Ong on October 22, 2025
In the bustling markets of Fort Worth, Texas, one local entrepreneur is making food “dance and sing” with her unique spice blends. Meet Alise Ralston, the creative force behind Vespa’s 7 Spice Mix, a thriving local business that has transformed a recipe into an award-winning culinary sensation.
The story behind Vespa’s 7 Spice Mix begins with love, laughter, and a classic movie. Alise’s husband is a motorcyclist with the road name “Lonestar,” and when they discovered their mutual love for the comedy film “Spaceballs,” a perfect connection was born. In the movie, Lonestar rescues Princess Vespa, and they marry at the end. Since Alise was already “a princess to begin with,” got the road name Vespa. The business name simply combines her road name with her signature product, creating a brand that reflects both her personality and her craft.
Alise’s journey into the spice business began with a bittersweet discovery. After her grandmother passed away in 2012, she found a special recipe later on in 2013 in one of her grandmother’s cookbooks. She started making the spice blend for herself and using it for party food, never imagining it would become anything more. But in 2020, when the world slowed down during the pandemic, Alise found herself with time to experiment and play with the original recipe.
“That’s when I started creating the other blends,” Alise explains. “I developed seven different versions, and then an eighth one came from a co-worker who wanted the second hottest pepper on the planet in my blend.”
Today, Vespa’s 7 Spice Mix offers eight distinct varieties, each carefully crafted to meet diverse dietary needs and preferences. All blends are either low-salt or no-salt recipes, vegan, Whole30 approved, and gluten-friendly. The products have even earned the prestigious GoTexan approval, a certification that celebrates authentic Texas-made products.
What sets Vespa’s 7 Spice Mix apart from the competition is the texture. Unlike many spice blends that can be granular and get caught in your teeth, Alise’s blends are ground to a fine powder that melts seamlessly into broths, chilies, soups, and other dishes. This unique texture makes the spices incredibly versatile.
“You can literally sprinkle it on anything,” Alise says with enthusiasm. “I put it in my salads and wraps all the time because they need flavor, and I can sprinkle it on fries. It just goes with anything.”
The tagline for her business perfectly captures this versatility: “Magically mixed to make just about any food dance and sing.”
Alise’s dedication to quality hasn’t gone unnoticed. Her spice blends have earned multiple prestigious awards, including three Scovy Awards from competitions in Albuquerque, three Zestfest Awards from local Texas competitions that celebrate spicy foods, and two International Flavor Awards. These accolades speak to the exceptional quality and unique appeal of her products.
While Alise maintains a website and can sell online, her heart is in the local community. You’ll find her at farmers markets and vendor events throughout the Fort Worth area, where she’s built strong relationships with both customers and fellow vendors.
“I mostly do vendor markets around town,” she explains. “People find me locally, and I’ve learned what works for me over the years.”
Her primary customers are men and women between the ages of 25 to 50, though she’s delighted to see younger aspiring cooks discovering her products too. She’s learned through experience which events work best for her business, focusing on farmers markets, certain vendor markets, and word of mouth.
Alise’s commitment to community extends beyond her business. She offers everyday discounts to teachers, nurses, first responders, and all military personnel, including active duty and veterans. This reflects her deep appreciation for those who serve others.
Additionally, Alise volunteers as a peer leader for the Veteran Spouse Resiliency Group, providing one-on-one support to military spouses who need someone to listen and offer guidance. Having never been part of a military family herself before marriage, she understands the unique challenges faced by civilian spouses entering the military community.
“There’s tons of support for the actual veteran and for the family as a whole, but for individual spouses, there’s not a lot of help,” she explains. “I can help because there are people like me who want to know how to navigate this world.”
Born in nearby Arlington and raised in the Fort Worth area, Alise has deep roots in North Texas. She and her husband live in Haltom City, right on the edge of Fort Worth, surrounded by family including both sets of parents and her sister-in-law’s upcoming wedding.
“I really wouldn’t want to live anywhere else,” she says. “It’s the heart of everybody here, the history. Fort Worth has a great history, and I love the temperatures, even though people complain about the summer heat.”
As a true Texan, Alise is a devoted fan of the Texas Rangers and Dallas Stars, and she maintains an active lifestyle that includes reading, attending concerts and sporting events, crafting, baking, and regular museum visits.
Currently balancing her spice business with her career as an HR professional, Alise dreams of the day when Vespa’s 7 Spice Mix can support her full-time. Her five-year goal is realistic and heartfelt: she wants to see her products on enough specialty store shelves to make the business sustainable.
“I don’t know if I’ll ever be the big box store type of person, but I’d love to be on enough specialty shelves that I can make it work,” she says. “Even if it just maintains itself, I’ll be happy.”
Ready to make your food dance and sing? You can find Alise and her award-winning spice blends at farmers markets and vendor events throughout the Fort Worth area. For those who can’t make it to a market, her products are available online through her website.
Whether you’re a seasoned cook looking to elevate your dishes or someone who wants to add flavor without the fuss, Vespa’s 7 Spice Mix offers the perfect solution. With eight unique varieties to choose from, there’s a blend for every palate and almost every dietary need (am not kosher or hallah).
Ready to transform your cooking? Visit Vespa’s 7 Spice Mix online or find Alise at your next local market. Your taste buds will thank you, and you’ll be supporting a local entrepreneur who’s passionate about bringing flavor and joy to every meal.
Connect with Vespa’s 7 Spice Mix:
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